Salgaocar FC U-19's crowned South Goa Champions, progress to all-Goa finals in GFA's 3rd division League
Salgaocar FC’s juniors having comprehensively won the Mormugao zone in GFA’s 3rd Division League, went a step further to beat the Salcete zone winners, Immaculate Conception SC, Paroda 2-1 in the South zone finals in a keenly contested affair at the Cansaulim ground earlier today. They will now face the winner of the North zone, to be played between the winners of the Ilhas and Bardez zones in the all-Goa finals.
In football, not for nothing do they say that it’s not over until it’s actually over. Sitting on a 2-goal cushion and having earned a penalty in the 88th minute of play, the Greens could have put the game to bed.
However, the missed penalty almost cost them dear as the Paroda based team raced up the other end to reduce the deficit and could have equalised with virtually the last kick of the game, had it been for a slightly better finish from Captain Soccoro Rodrigues.
Liston was quite easily the outstanding player on the day as he set up teammate Steven Fernandes on a platter to score the opener in the 52nd minute and went on to net the second himself with a beautiful left foot curler seven minutes later. The 16-year old who came on as a substitute at the second half kept the Immaculate Conception defense perpetually on their toes and it was he who won the Greens the penalty in the dying stages.
However, defender Gurba Gagrai, who did have an excellent game until then stepped up to take the spot-kick and his weak effort through the centre was easily saved by the opposition keeper. Denil Rebello should have had his name on the score-sheet as well as another delightful cross by Liston saw the former head wide from 6 yards out with the entire goal at his mercy.
The game got off to a brisk start with clear cut chances coming at a premium in the first half. The Salgaocar lads however won most of the battles in midfield and asserted their superiority as the match went on. The introduction of Liston though, at the start of the second half, ensured the tide and momentum swung entirely in Salgaocar’s favour.